On Being Lit 🔥

Morning thoughts as I draw myself a bath to soak my sore muscles, before church:

Sometimes I think as Christians who love Jesus with 𝒶𝓁𝓁 our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and want to see others on fire for Him 🔥… we can take a pressure on our selves, to fire people up for Him.

This is certainly true of myself.

I think it’s partly selfish, to be honest.
Because I’ve been part of a fired-up community of girls before and I 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓈ℴ 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 to be part of a fired-up-for-Jesus community with ℰ𝒱ℰ𝒩 𝒢ℛℰ𝒜𝒯ℰℛ 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾ℴ𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒸𝒶𝓂𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒹ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ! I got a taste of what that could feel like, and I want it back- but better, with Him at the center!

But it’s also people-centered.
I want it for others!
I’ve been through seasons of life where it felt like friends where few and far between, and friendships were surface and shallow.
I see the enemy working to try keep people either isolated (whether by offense, self-protection, distraction, their own busyness, or whatever else it may be)— or to keep their connections shallow and distant, so at least they aren’t rooted and grounded and likely to get relit if he blows their flame out.

The thing is, as I focus on what I want for me and what I want for others, my own flame begins to dim because it was thinking on and being aware of HIS presence that lit me to begin with! 🕯️

Today as I lit this candle, one wick at a time, for my bath— God showed me something:

One wick can’t light another by begging it.
By wishing for it.
By hollering at it “get lit”🔥
or feeling sulky whenever they don’t.

We need HIM to light us.
And them.

We can also be carriers of His light.
Naturally warming and spreading His love and catching others on fire,
as they simply draw near.

Simply by being lit ourselves
and staying open, close, welcoming.

Not pushing others away,
and not chasing them either.
But interceding and trusting Him to light them —
whether directly (lighter straight to wick)
or through us (wick to wick).

Either way, 𝓀𝓃ℴ𝓌𝒾𝓃ℊ-
the flame came from 🅗🅘🅜!

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…”Shine! Keep open house. Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous father in Heaven…” {Matthew 5:16 MSG}

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Praying you feel the 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓂𝓉𝒽 & ℊ𝓁ℴ𝓌 of His flame in your hearts today, friends!

And that He lights you up and helps you 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃ℯ, being 𝓁𝒾𝓉 𝒷𝓎 ℋ𝒾𝓂 wherever you go! 🧡